Sky Bet Championship: Leeds United 5 Burton Albion 0

RAMPANT Leeds United gift-wrapped an early birthday present for owner Andrea Radrizanni yesterday with a 5-0 Sky Bet Champioonship cakewalk against Burton Albion at Elland Road.

The Whites uncorked some champagne football to help the chairman celebrate his 43rd birthday today in style.

The Italian has breathed new life into the club since his summer takeover, with smart recruitment and an improved connection with their fan base.

Burton could not hold a candle to Leeds from start to finish, and the 33,000-plus natives at LS11 lapped up the party atmosphere.

Any fears that unbeaten Leeds’ momentum would be disrupted by the international break were quickly dispelled as they tore into Nigel Clough’s team from the start.

The only surprise was that it took United 20 minutes to find the back of the net after swamping Burton with wave after wave of sharp, incisive attacking football.

After that it was a piece of cake as United toasted their biggest league win since thrashing QPR 6-1 on November 20, 2004.

Debut striker Pierre-Michel Lasogga, on loan from Bundesliga side Hamburg, swept in Eunan O’Kane’s pass to open the floodgates.

A quarter of an hour later, Kalvin Phillips made it 2-0 by drilling the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Pablo Hernandez’s penalty after Lasogga was fouled at a corner put Leeds out of sight just before half-time, and they continued to batter Burton after the break.

Lasogga, who had shaken an upright in the first half with a crunching shot, was instrumental in the move which saw Kemar Roofe’s curl in the fourth.

Roofe then turned provider, picking out Lasogga to head Leeds 5-0 up just before the hour.

Shortly afterwards the 25-year-old German striker was given a standing ovation as he was replaced by another home debutant Jay-Roy Grot.

Lasogga, who had not started a game since November, looked a perfect replacement for the free-scoring Chris Wood, who departed to Burnley for £15m last month.

Burton were poor, but Leeds were on a different level – a point not missed on visiting boss Clough.

“We weren’t very good and they were excellent from start to finish,” he said.

“We couldn’t do too much about the quality of the goals they scored. It’s very rare you get a goalkeeper that’s conceded five goals and can’t say he had a chance with any of them."

He added: “Leeds’ movement and the quality of their finishing was top-class. If they play like that, they’re genuine promotion contenders.”

United will have much harder challenges than Burton but eight games unbeaten and five consecutive Championship games without conceding have seen United move into second place behind Cardiff.

However, new hero Lasogga may miss Tuesday’s home game against Birmingham as his wife was due to give birth.

Leeds United: Wiedwald, Ayling, Jansson, Cooper, Anita (Dallas HT), Phillips, O’Kane (Klick 55), Roofe, Saiz, Hernandez, Lasogga (Grot 61). Subs (not used): Lonergan, Alioski, Cibicki, Shaughnessy.

Burton Albion: Bywater, Brayford, Buxton, Turner, Warnock, McFadzean (Dyer 38), Lund, Allen, Mason (Palmer 66), Scannell (Sordell 60), Atkins. Subs (not used): Riply, Flanagan, Naylor, Varney. Caution: McFazean.

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands).

Attendance: 33,404.